In the 1980s and 1990s many cities had ordinances that prevented people from operating a business from their home. They used zoning ordinances to prevent these things, and often they did them to assist local developers who had built office complexes. Also, many suburban areas didn’t want people working out of their home, delivery trucks coming up to the door, or customers showing up at a residence in using the curbside for parking.Today, most home-based businesses don’t have many visitors, much of their business is done online, and they have meetings at the customer’s location or a local coffee shop. Today, there are far more home-based businesses than there are regular businesses. In fact, the average business is a home-based business these days. This is obviously a trend that will continue, and should be expected.Fewer and fewer cities have such ordinances anymore. Although many suburban cities do require business licenses even if you work out of your home, and there are stiff penalties if you fail to do this. Likewise, many city business license departments will notify your neighbors to make sure it’s okay with them in advance. If one of them objects you may not be issued a business license.Therefore, it makes sense to check with City Hall before starting your home-based business, and discussing it with your local neighbors first so they do not object, if and when they do; a postcard will be sent by mail from the local city hall, giving your neighbors 10 to 15 days to reply, otherwise the business license will be issued.Most cities still have rules about home-based businesses, such as the number of deliveries you are allowed to get per week or the storage of chemicals on the property. But for the most part, most cities understand the new norm and how many people are working out of their home. Please consider all this.
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